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PCOSupport

Wantsababy:
I tried a femara and clomid and sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't.... femara basically is the same as clomid, just works in a different manner and it doesn't stay in your system as long an doesn't has any effect on the lining. So me doing the 5mg of femara on CD3-7 is basically the same as doing 100mg of clomid CD3-7.

Since I wasn't responding to the oral meds, my RE had me do a femara (oral)/follistim (injection) protocol with IUI. The injections is basically FSH (you can use follistim, menopur, bravelle, etc.)..... REs usually move to this if someone isn't responding to oral meds. That cycle resulted in a chemical pregnancy.

I am self pay and I couldn't afford another one right away, so my RE had me try a femara/clomid combo (7.5mg of femara on CD3 and 100mg clomid CD3-7) for 3 months while I saved up for another. The first month I Oed on CD 18, next month CD 21, and the last month either I didn't O at all or I did on CD 30-something (my AF came during provera so its hard to say if it was from Oing or me not taking the meds at the right time). So since I was Oing late and possibly not at all, the oral meds are no longer an option and really the injections are my only option....

My RE has me doing a femara/follistim combination with IUI now.
Doing the combination or oral meds and injections saves a lot of money instead of just doing straight injections....so it is a good option as a protocol for self-pay.

Basically I pay for the meds and go through a discount fertility pharmacy (Barron Pharmacy in Ohio - they ship to you), then I also have to pay for the ultrasounds and IUI. My RE doesn't require me to have the bloodwork since I only do 3 days of injections and we do ultrasounds, so that saves money.

Also my insurance actually paid for the ultrasounds as they coded it for diagnostic (since ultrasound isn't technically a treatment), it's all semantics. That was my first cycle so they may have seen it as "Infertility Diagnosis" which may be why they covered it....I guess we will see if they do it again, but I am not betting on it. My RE's office submits it to insurance, then if they don't cover it, the office will just pill me the discounted rate ($125 per ultrasound, they charge the insurance like $400 or something). The IUI is discounted for self-pay as well at $400 which is for the procedure and the sperm washing.

I did end up getting some breaks with the free injections and my insurance paying for the ultrasounds... But all in all, I expect to pay about $1000-1500.

Self-pay discounts:
ultrasounds $125 each (expect a baseline, one the day after the last injection, and one more - total of 3) - $375
IUI $400
Meds: depends on what you get.... I think Repronex is the cheapest. But sometimes you can get free meds through your office through vouchers or if you know someone who is pregnant or not TTC anymore that has extra and will donate to you. If I paid for all mine, the meds would have been about $400 or more (femara, follistim pen, ovidrel, and progesterone).

My husband and I agreed on a total of 3 IUIs and then calling it quits. So this will be my second.

Good luck, it's a bank breaker, but hopefully will be worth it!
I am using our tax return.

Also if your RE wants to move to injections I have some that I can donate to you, given to me from a lady who tried IVF and is no longer TTC. Contact me anytime.

Thank you so much for your reply. I had no idea the IUI is so complex. I can only afford maybe $200-$300 a month. So I guess the IUI isn't something I can even think about. Thank you for helping me out, now I know not to get excited about it or view it as an option. You saved me a lot of time and research.

I wish you the very best, I pray that you get your BFP this cycle. After everything you have gone though you deserve it. :-)

Had an 18mm......something. They are trying to determine if it's a cyst or follicle, and I didn't have a baseline so they say it's hard to tell. I have been having pains in my right side since Saturday and I think 18mm is early for CD 10... So probably a cyst. They want me to get bloodwork to better tell, then they'll give me further instruction. So we'll see.....

Not real sure if I want to pay for the iui with only one follicle and it being a questionable cyst.....I guess I'll discuss my concerns when they call me with the bloodwork results.

Wants, maybe you could save up like I am doing. I saved for 3 months for the first one.... Then waited for my tax return for this one.

No longer doing IUI because of all the confusion between cyst vs. follicle....and my positive OPK, which apparently may mean nothing since that was thursday night and now I am having another positive today. It went positive thursday and friday, neg on saturday, now positive on sunday....geez. I hate my confusing body.

Do Your RE's usually cancel an IUI if you have a cyst, or just go with it? I have a hemorrhagic cyst on each ovary and I am wondering if they will cancel my cycle and if they dont, if it will affect the success rate...